1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to item storage and distribution, specifically the automated stocking, storing and delivery of items to be sold, rented, checked out, transported or stored.
2. Background of the Invention
For years, there have been attempts to develop a practical automated storage and delivery systems for items to be sold, rented, checked out, transported or stored. The primary objectives are to make it more convenient for the user, more flexible, more reliable and less expensive to build and maintain. Most of the attempts at an automated store use a setup where identical items are placed in an ejection unit that dispenses the item on demand. U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,026 (1972) to Alexander et al and discloses an automated drive-in store using chutes, dispensers and ejectors. In general, currently known automated distribution facilities are primarily constructed with conveyors designed to move a bin up and down a line of item dispensers. When the bin is under the dispenser, the item is dumped into the bin or onto a conveyor by an actuator system. This requires an intricate one-of-a-kind arrangement of conveyors, chutes, elevators, actuators, sensors and stepper motors. Examples of these devices can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,595,263 (1997) to Pignataro, 6,234,737 (2001) to Young et al., and 5,890,136 (1999) to Kipp. Another group of patents has the item in bins that are manipulated by devices that operate in an x- and y-plane. Examples of these devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,139,384 (1992) Tuttobene, and 6,022,180 (2000) to Motoyama et al. The shortcoming of these devices are that they are expensive to build and maintain, prone to malfunction and mistakes, handle one task at a time, operate slowly, can not make full use of existing storage space, items can be damaged by the drop into a bin or ripped apart by the conveyor. When stocking such a facility, the person stocking the facility is exposed to the hazards of moving machinery and is close proximity to the item, which allows for pilfering.
While each of the above-noted patents describe vending facilities which provide a certain degree of automated shopping for a customer, a need still exists for a mechanism which provides a more efficient and automated system.